Shirou: "Wow, so even thieves have guild cards?"
A cynical murmur escaped his lips. The card read, "Borg, Rank D." An adventurer by day, a kidnapper and bandit by night. There are always people who abuse the guild's reputation.
Shirou: "(This guy could be useful. If I turn him in to the guild, I might even get a bounty. It would also serve as evidence that he's the culprit in the missing persons case.)"
*Having made that judgment, he began collecting all of Borg's and the other bandits' guild cards. Some of them appeared to have been disguised as adventurers. He put these cards in his pocket.*
*After neutralizing the bandits, he left the scene, seemingly uninterested in their fate. Whether they died from bleeding and poison, or were lucky enough to be discovered by someone, it was none of his concern.*
He did not release the people or kobolds who had been captured. Showing mercy might cause trouble later. Helping them was merely to maintain the appearance of being an "adventurer who solved the missing persons case," and he judged that reporting to the guild and leaving it to others was the most efficient approach.
*Upon returning to town, Shirou headed straight for the guild. The guild was as bustling as ever. He went to Minya at the reception desk and casually placed three giant boar tusks on the counter.*
Minya: "Wow! Welcome back, Shirou! ...Wait, what!? You've already defeated them!? And three of them!?"
*Minya's eyes widened in surprise. It hadn't even been half a day since she'd been told it would take half a day to get there, completed the request, and returned.*
Shirou: "Yes. I think I've passed the promotion exam. And I have one more thing to report."
*Saying this, he took several guild cards he had stolen from bandits from his pocket and lined them up on the counter.*
Shirou: "We've found the missing adventurers on the western plains. These guys are the culprits. They should still be alive, so we should send a rescue team there as soon as possible."
*At those words, and the guild card presented as proof, the smile vanished from Minya's face, replaced by the serious expression of a guild receptionist.*
*Shirou maintained his stance that he had "discovered them by chance." He didn't even hint that he had nearly killed the bandits, calmly stating only the facts.*
Shirou: "I didn't really understand the people and monsters in the cage, so I'll leave it to the guild."
*His words had a completely emotionless tone, as if he were reporting on trash he'd found lying on the side of the road. Minya was momentarily taken aback by Shirou's attitude, but she quickly understood the gravity of the situation and took action.*
Minya: "O-Okay, I understand! Shirou, thank you so much for the urgent report! I'll report to the guild master immediately and assemble a rescue team!"
*She hurriedly rushed to the back of the counter. The guild quickly became noisy, with veteran-looking staff and burly adventurers gathering and beginning to hear Minya's account. The guild card Shirou had presented corroborated the credibility of his report.*
*After a while, a middle-aged man who appeared to be the guild master came over to Shirou. He stared at Shirou with a stern expression.*
Guild Master: "You must be Shirou Nishiki. Well done. Solving the missing person case and passing the promotion exam, excellent work. In accordance with regulations, you are officially certified as an E-rank adventurer as of today."
*With that, he handed Shirou a new guild card. The words "E-Rank" were engraved on it.*
Guild Master: "Furthermore, as a special reward for solving the missing persons case and identifying the group responsible, I will pay you 20 gold coins. Well done."
*Twenty gold coins. It was an unexpectedly large sum. Shirou accepted them expressionlessly. His possessions instantly exceeded thirty gold coins.*
Guild Master: "The group of perpetrators is the 'Bloodfang' bandit gang, led by Borg, a D-rank guild member. They were also wanted fugitives. Your efforts in neutralizing them are significant. ...However, I have one question. How did you neutralize them all by yourself?"
*The guild master's sharp eyes pierced Shirou. How had he managed to subdue a band of bandits, including D-rank members, with the skills he was disguised as being F-rank (though now E-rank)? It was a natural question.*
*Shirou met the guild master's sharp gaze with emotionless, unchanging eyes. It was a natural question for an adventurer who had achieved results beyond his abilities. However, Shirou was not so kind as to reveal his hand. He inwardly sneered at the man before him.*
Shirou: "(Of course I wouldn't say that, are you an idiot?)"
*Speaking it aloud would cause friction. But his demeanor spoke volumes about his true feelings. He shrugged his shoulders deliberately and opened his mouth with a look of annoyance.*
Shirou: "Who knows? The surprise attack just worked out well. Once we took out the leader, the rest were just a ragtag bunch."
*That wasn't a lie. But it was an answer that cleverly avoided the core issue. It didn't reveal anything about the existence of the Poison Dagger, the ability of the Divine Eye, or the skill theft.*
The guild master was probably not satisfied with that answer. The frown deepened between his eyebrows. However, it was the adventurer's right to conceal their trump card, and he couldn't press the matter any further. He sighed, and his stern expression softened slightly.
Guild Master: "...I see. Well, as long as you're safe, that's all that matters. Once again, you did a great job. Having a young person like you around is a blessing for this town. Please continue to do your best for the guild."
*He said this, lightly patting Shirou on the shoulder, and returned to his post to direct the formation of the rescue team. The surrounding adventurers cast a mixture of awe, jealousy, and curiosity at Shirou. A low-ranking F-rank rookie had single-handedly wiped out a wanted bandit gang and earned a huge reward. The rumor would spread throughout the guild in no time.*
*Minya returns to Shirou with a slightly worried look on her face.*
Minya: "Shirou, you did a great job! Don't make the Guild Master angry, okay? But you're really amazing! You're already E-rank! Shall we look for a new request? Or would you like to rest for the day?"
*She pointed to the board in front of her and asked Shirou.*
*Shirou crossed his arms and pondered Minya's suggestion. Should he look for a quest at the guild, or should he rest? Neither was a bad option, but a new choice had come to mind.*
Shirou: "(I've saved up enough money, so maybe I should go to another city. Should I travel by taking on a bodyguard job or something?)"
*I feel like I've gathered most of the information available in this city, Astera. To become stronger more efficiently, I need a new environment and new information. Besides, I've attracted a little too much attention in this incident. Leaving this city for a while wouldn't be a bad choice.*
*Shirou turned back to Minya and asked quietly.*
Shirou: "Are there any requests to escort merchant caravans going to other cities? Preferably ones going as far away as possible."
*Minya looked a little sad at his words, but quickly regained her professional demeanor and began checking the request board in her hand.*
Minya: "To other cities...? Well, there are a few. Let's see... Ah, how about this one? It's a caravan escort to the royal capital, Lindblum. It's quite a distance, and it's a large-scale escort request that anyone from E rank can participate in. The reward is also quite good, 5 gold coins."
*The royal capital, Lindblum. The center and largest city of this country. There, new encounters, people with more powerful skills, and unknown items and information are sure to abound. A slight smile forms on Shirou's lips.*
Minya: "However, departure will be in three days. What will you do until then? We haven't paid you the reward for defeating the giant boar yet, have we? Three fangs will be worth nine silver coins."
*Saying this, Minya placed nine silver coins on the counter. Shirou took them and put them in his pocket.*